The Risk

Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy. F. Scott Fitzgerald

Chapter 26

Nathan's knee rattled and he continued to run his large fingers through his hair as he sat across from Cooper on the private plane the FBI as using to follow Haley and her capture to Miami. He watched his friend end a phone call with a look of frustration. In fear of what his response would be, he declined the notion to question the federal officer. Instead, he pulled out his Blackberry and began playing Spider Solitaire to keep his overactive imagination occupied.

The passengers quickly exited the plane when it landed in Florida. They all headed to the final checkpoint before customs. Once they got through there, Haley knew there would be no hope that she would be rescued. She walked at a snails pace, practically dragging her feet. Soon they weren't even in sight of the rest of the group.

"Fight it all you want, Honey. You'll still be my wife by this time tomorrow. You're going to love Ecuador and me." Gary mused forcefully grabbing her by the arm and started moving her forward at a much faster pace.

Haley knew she needed help, but making a scene wasn't the best idea when she could feel his 9MM Glock sticking purposely rammed into her side in it's holster. She co-operated as he stopped to show the TSA agent his credentials and place his bag through the scanner. Swiftly, she was lead through metal detector and away from the crowds of the checkpoint to a private hall that lead to the US Customs terminal. This was it. She was stuck with Gary. Her life was going to be a living hell.

Her mind immediately went to her beautiful Nathan. Never again will she get to see his handsome face, touch his strong body, or kiss his luscious lips. She wouldn't get to see his sexy smile or listen to his gravely groans as they made love well into the night. They were finally on the right path in their relationship only to have some jackass snatched there life impending life together from underneath them! No, it wasn't fair.

Suddenly angry, Haley didn't know where her courage came from, but she elbowed, Gary in the ribs and when he doubled over and his cap fell off, she gave him a hard chop to the back of the head with the heavy stainless steel handcuffs attached to both her wrist. The blunt hit left him on the ground and temporarily dazed. While he tried to get his bearings, she rose high on her toes, slipping out of her running shoes and the metal bracelets encasing her ankles. Dreaded lessons of Tae Kwan Do and ballet for years as a child were finally paying off as she took off toward the terminal. Her wig had fallen halfway off her head and she frantically worked at shaking it the rest of the way loose while shouting.

"Help me! Help me! I've been kidnapped! Help me!"

Only to be stunned to find that when she got to the open area of the terminal, it was filled with armed government agents, aiming directly at her. Before another word could escape her lips. One of the officers accosted and restrained the feisty woman as Gary rounded the corner with his pistol held out in pursuit of his victim. Seeing the other officers, he let out a sigh and returned his service weapon back to it's holster.

"Thanks, guys. She's a loose canon. I don't know how the hell she got out of those leg restraints! No wonder they're shipping her back to her home country. She's insane." He said smoothly, eyeing Haley with an evil sneer. "I'll take over from here."

The customs agent let go of Haley, but the others still held their weapons at the ready position, directly at him as a female officer headed for his prey.

"I'm sorry Officer Wallace, but we can't let you do that." The agent demanded.

As soon as Nathan overhead Cooper Lee confirm that the plane taking Gary and Haley out of the country had been detained permanently and they were headed for customs where agents were prepared for a standoff, he took off running in that direction.

"Scott! Scott! Wait for us!" He close friend pleaded. "Don't do anything stupid!" He shoved a few of his men in pursuit of Nathan and tossed back a few antacids from the roll of Tums in his pocket…..today sucked. Answering his cell for the millionth time that day, he suddenly slammed it shut. "Shit! We've got trouble ladies and gentlemen!" He barked and raced through the concourse with his crew at his side, all hands ready to retrieve their service revolves at a seconds notice.

They were only a few feet away from Nathan in the corridor that lead to their destination when they heard the a gun shot, then the gut wrenching screams of a woman. Another shot lead to more blood curdling screams that raised the hair on the back of their necks. This couldn't be good.

The tall dark reporter in front of them stopped, his heart pounding in his chest so hard, he thought it might pop. He was brimming with so much fear, he legs felt cemented to the floor. He knew that sound, the most devastating noise he had ever become familiar with….a sound that had once sent him running away from it's owner in a much darker time in their past. They were punished with another high pitched squeal so frightening that the eight federal agents behind him looked wary about moving forward. But Nathan snapped out of his reverie. The woman he loved was in dire straights and he be damned if he ever left her down again.

Making their way into the terminal, the groups apprehension eased at what to be a typical crime scene. There were a couple of officers gathering evidence while a large group were gathered together near the customs private gate mostly used for the transference of criminals either in or out of the country.

Nathan even relaxed for moment, assuming Haley was just upset over having been abducted and watching the police persons take down Gary. She was a sensitive woman and had every right to be upset, but it was all over now. Bawling his fist at his side, he was glad the Miami division of the FBI or the US Customs Agents had gotten him first and started to imagine just how he would have taken the crazy deputy down when he became aware that Haley was still screaming and now he could even hear her small sweet voice, although he couldn't make out the words. Pushing his way through the clan of officials only to find not only an unexpected situation, but an extremely devastatingly one too.

"Where are the fucking keys. I know this asshole has them on him somewhere! These things are custom made…..damn!" Agents shouted to each other as the searched Gary's dead pockets, wallet and person for the handcuff key needed to remove the wrist shackles from Haley. Another tried to slip her tiny hands through the encasements with no success. They only rubbed her already chaffed and tender joints raw.

"Get him off of me! Get him off! Please get him off!" She shrilled passionately, her voice slowly dissipating from where she lay. Her small frame half covered by a dead man.

Gary had been shot twice in the back of the head. From the looks of things, he had become desperate and slipped his head between Haley's cuffed arms so they were trapped together once her arms went below his large head. He must have attempted to use her as a hostage an accomplice. It was clear he had made a run for customs gate, not expecting a sharp shooting agent to take him down without harming Haley…..well, physically anyway.
Her abductor's grey matter, blood, hair and skin splatter all over Haley's small frame as she struggled to get free and cried hysterically.

"Get him off! Get him off! Please, please, please get him off!"

Mr. Scott couldn't just stand there and watch his woman suffer. He started thinking like a reporter. Where would he hide a key if he wanted to make sure someone else couldn't get their hands on it, even while he slept? Hmm.. Touching the chain that lay against his own skin, he knew the answer.

"Look around his neck!" He commanded and Cooper immediately bent down and pulled down the bloody collar of Gary's uniform to reveal a sterling silver chain. Unmercifully, he tugged it off the perpetrator causing a dog tag and a tiny gold key to fall on the dead man's back.

"I got it." Nathan picked up the mechanism between two fingers, hearing Haley's continued mantra become more and more desperate. "Back off, so I can get her out of this." He barked.

"You heard the man." Cooper insisting, order the rest of the agents away from Haley's trapped figure.

"Get him off! Get him!" She kept up, sounding more and more fragile. Her voice was strained as she attempted to wiggle and squirm her way to freedom, but unfortunately she was only bringing Gary's body tighter against hers.

She was so lost in her real life nightmare that she didn't even see Nathan. Refusing to breakdown at the sight of her in such a grave state, he took a deep breathe and focused on getting her out of this horrible status the fastest way possible.

On her exposed right side, he gently brushed his large digits along the material of the prisoners jumpsuit she was wearing. "Shh, Beautiful. Just relax." He soothed in a sultry voice running his hand down her splattered cheek and tense neck and shoulders. "I need you to be still so I can get this ass… I mean…...get you out of here and take you with me." He explained, not wanting his words to make things worse. He finally got a reaction from her. Her big watery brown eyes now targeting pools of blue. " Don't you want to go with me, Haley?" He rationed and she nodded eagerly causing Gary's left arm to spread across her body. The little woman let out another horror movie worthy scream and her body started to thrash and kick.

"Get him off! Get him off!" Her song was revisited. Nathan shoved the arm aside and replaced it with his palm coaxing her weeping face as he tried to hold her steady. "Hey, hey, he can't hurt you anymore. I promise, Haley…….. but you've got to stay still." The utter sadness in her eyes told him he had gotten through to her as she agree in a whisper. "Hurry, Nathan. I can't…I…." She did her best to restrain her shivering form.

With her calmer state, he aimed his own shaking hands at the locks that trapped her bleeding wrist right below Gary's half missing head. The key unlatched the shackles of her terror in seconds and he wasted no time heaving Gary's cadaver aside to reach down and lift his girl into his arms, one under her legs the other caressing her lower back.

"You're safe now, Beautiful. You're always safe with me." He hoped to reassure to her as she clung to him, her slender arms wrapping around his neck as she nuzzled her face into his chest and cried her heart out.

This noted reporter, who had seen the worst the world had to offer in many of his trials and assignments found this to be the hardest times he ever had putting up a brave front. Nathan made eye contact with Cooper, who lead them away from the traumatic scene that would haunt them all in some way for the rest of their lives….some more than others.

Pamela